Supplements? Three questions... page

[silas1984]

I am currently taking MegaMen daily multivitamin from GNC. First off, what are your thoughts on this or any daily multivitamin? If you don't mind, it would be great to back up any opinions with some solid research or studies demonstrating your reasoning.

Next, what about a fish oil supplement? I feel that it is a good idea but when you do any cursory research you get all manner of information; some of it says it will make you live to 130 years old, and others say it will basically kill you. I am exagerating of course but you get the point. Where do you guys stand with fish oil supplements?

Lastly, what else am I missing? I don't really want to take 17 different things a day, nor do I wish to spend a lot of money on this stuff. If I am gettingdaily: 4-6 servings of vegetables, 1-2 of fruit, 2-4 of protein (usually eggs, chicken, or beef, fish once or twice a month), .5-1 serving of dairy, lots of water, and sometimes a handful of nuts or seeds of some sort, do I really need a supplement?

I like the MegaMen due to the Vitamin D content, as well as other elements of it, but not sure if just doing a vitamin D supplement would be better. I work inside at a desk all day and don't really have the opportunity to get out and get adequate sun exposure, etc.

Help me wrap my brain around this please.

Thanks in advance.

[snoops]

The levels of D you are getting in a multi vitamin are likely not high enough. RDA's are way low and most people are low to deficient apparently. I take 6000D in the winter, omega 3 oil, and a probiotic. There was a thread the other day about post menopausal women and too much vitamin D so I am looking into that. Plan to have my levels tested.

[Damiana]

If you're eating healthfully, a lot of vegetables, some fruits, and a lot of meats and some organs, you should be hitting the RDAs pretty hard. Remember that your body is supremely efficient. There are people who refuse to eat anything that doesn't come out of a package and they manage to survive. Supplement with a daily multi or some supplements that you feel you need if you must, but I wouldn't worry about it.

[Neely]

I do take multi-vitamin, fish oil and probiotic. I agree that I probably don't need to (maybe apart from the vit D) however if can't hurt either. Although I eat a lot of fruit and veg, only some of it is organic and I believe that a lot of modern veg and farming methods mean that the vitamin content is lower than ideal. I eat fish about twice a week so a little fish oil and omega 3 doesn't hurt either. I have also started probiotics because of being on anti-biotics for a while. I also read that current RDA levels are way off when you take into account the modern stress-fuelled world we live in. These don't cost too much. I see them all as a sort of insurance and an attempt to prevent common colds etc.

[Bosnic]

If it helps I take:

Fish oil - for Omega-3's
Vitamin D - I don't get as much sun exposure as Grok, on top of that I live in the north.
Probiotic - I feel I need it. Sub-optimal digestion, oral thrush...
Kelp capsules - iodine for thyroid
Selenium - for thyroid

[Schenks]

If you really want to do it right, get tested for deficiencies and get only the vitamins and minerals that you know you really need. Same for fish oil, use the liquid over the caps. There are some good brands that use a lemon flavor to kill the fish-taste. Take everything with meals so that your body produces the enzymes it needs to digest & absorb the vitamins and oil.

[bloodorchid]

to state upfront, i don't eat a wide variety of fruits and veggies. i either don't like or don't crave them often

i take;
gnc women's ultra mega
d3
k2
cod liver oil

i feel much better when i take vitamins, so i'll keep doing it. i'm too lazy to google studies about the necessity of vitamins with a well balanced diet tho

[otzi]

I think multi-vitamins are a cop out. Most of the vitamins they contain are synthetic versions of the real thing and are not well absorbed. I vote on eating vitamin rich foods and taking only vitamins you are at risk of a deficiency in. I have no problem with most people taking D3 and K2, since we hardly get enough sunshine and the K2 is absent from the places it should be (grass-fed butter, kale).

I use the nutrient calculator on FitDay - Free Weight Loss and Diet Journal to track my intake. My 'supplementation' regime is eating a can of smoked oysters every day, a sheet of dry seaweed a couple times a week, liver once or twice a week, bone broth once a week, salmon several times a week, brazil nuts and almonds most days, and some 100% dark chocolate most days.

[bloodorchid]

smoked oysters are the devil

the devil

[Louisa655]

Check out Krill oil which is a much higher quality fish oil. /Lu